Siberia Comes to an End

Wow.  That basically sums up this week's finale of Siberia.  Filled with life or death moments, betrayal, and a glimpse of hope it offered up everything desired in a finale, except answers.  Unlike most shows, Siberia hasn't laid out all the answers for the viewers so my goal has been to gather the information by paying close attention to the events, researching the facts behind the story and logically deducing theories to bring together a plausible narrative to explain the mysteries presented.  Although this post is only covering the final episode, "...Into the Oven", the events that transpired and the questions that arose, I will also be adding a post entitled Siberia in Retrospect on Monday that will include all the mysteries we've seen throughout the season and some logical answers that tie them together.  I also encourage you to check out my Siberia: Facts Edition as well as my previous recaps before you bid adieu to the wonderful journey that is Siberia!  For now, let's jump out of the frying pan and "...Into the Oven" as this shocking episode received mixed reviews, with enough action to please but too few answers for closure, we have to wonder if this was the best way to end a chapter on Siberia. 

• Neeko, Sabina, Irene, Esther, Annie and Miljan made their way through the territory of the Valleymen as Merilik had directed them.  While I was hoping for more action, especially after Sasha's whisper last week advising Sabina not to run if she saw "them", the contestants arrived at the science center without any trouble or strange encounters.  However, as they made their final strides Neeko uncovered a sign that clearly spelled out danger as the group realized they had traveled into a minefield.
  
  
  
  
  Daniel, Sam, Johnny and Joyce ran to greet their fellow contestants but to their dismay Irene was frozen in place atop a pressure sensitive explosion device.  Although the group debated what to do and what would happen if she indeed stepped off, Daniel insisted it was a dud, without any explanation, and proceeded to help Irene move off the dangerous explosive unharmed. 
• The group shared stories of their separate journeys, including Sam saving Johnny's life after the shock of the tower and the moment when Sam thought he could no longer make it.  He spoke of closing his eyes and being taken back to the moment where he was attempting to fish and Natalie was giving him a hard time.  I wonder if for that brief moment he died or was passing through a purgatory of sorts as Natalie was the one select member he was with and as we know she had lost her life.  Annie stormed off clearly distraught and the others shared the news of the unexpected loss of Natalie.  Sam went to Annie's side and comforted her reciting his own personal experience with the death of his wife explaining that the impact she had on Sam's life would always be with him as Natalie's would always stay with Annie. 
• Soon after a truck appeared coming down the road and most of the contestants ran to greet what they perceived to be their rescue.  Unfortunately, the group was violently pushed onto their knees and held captive as the armed men argued in Russian over their fate.  Of what Sam was able to translate we learned that they were searching for a weapon, they had killed the scientists inside and they had every intention of murdering the group as well.  Joyce attempted to negotiate with the men but when she claimed their entire group was present and they uncovered her lie they strapped her to the front of the truck.
  
  
  
  
  
• As the armed men counted down to Joyce's execution, suddenly, something drew the attention of the armed men away from the group and they were able to run into one of the structures and barricaded themselves inside.  Johnny took a daring risk and untied Joyce, bringing her to safety with the others amidst the gunfire.  The group heard explosion after explosion as the building rocked with each impact.  It was clear that the minefield was active and the loud animal-like screeching implied it was the Valleymen who had come to their aid.
• The group used the Valleymen's distraction to nab the truck and take off.  However, they quickly noticed that Annie had not made it into the vehicle with them and though they stopped to let her on, she was struck by a bullet as the men redirected their shots towards the fleeing group.  The contestants mourned Annie's death while previewing her journal that contained sketches of each of them.  While Annie was not the first to die amongst the group, the fact that they witnessed her demise first-hand was something that none of them could shake.
  
  
  
  
  
• On route to the town Johnny had previously found on the map, the truck hit an ice patch and swerved off the road, leaving them stuck in a pile of snow.  Daniel informed Esther that the town was now only a few miles away and they proceeded to push the vehicle to freedom.  Unsuccessful, Esther approached Johnny who was driving and claimed they needed his strength to push and that she would steer.  Why they continue to believe her ridiculous claims is beyond me, but as the truck regained its traction Esther drove down the road never stopping or even looking back.  Miljan informed them that she had once again played them as she had taken the money from the Revealer and now was home free with all $500,000 and they were left stranded in the middle of nowhere.
• The group walked the remainder of the distance to the town but when they arrived they found everything was not as expected.  The town was abandoned.  Sam translated a sign that had been posted ordering the town to evacuate to the nearest Russian military camp and though they called out in hope of stragglers left behind no one returned their cries.
  
  
  
  
  They located the truck Esther had escaped in unfortunately with no Esther and no money.  While the contestants pillaged the open storefronts for a way to contact help (again) they were met with the familiar dilemma of no electricity and no phone service.  In the distance Christmas lights shone off a balcony and the group raced to the building to see if it was inhabited.
• Although the apartment was abandoned, they were blessed with electricity and a fridge filled with fresh food that they quickly took advantage of.  Miljan came across a gun which he hid on his person and Daniel finally mustered up the courage to kiss Irene.  While they all were eating, drinking and seemingly enjoying each others' company like a family at Thanksgiving, Joyce noticed a tape Sabina had pulled out amongst the things she had stashed.  Recalling that while she and Johnny lost their memory in the woods the footage was said to have gone missing, they immediately inserted the tape into the television.  The scene before them flickered to life beginning with the two arguing as we had previously seen, they then came upon one of the cauldrons in which they noticed what looked to be cuneiform (same as the symbol of the Valleymen) writing along the edge and a circle composed of sixteen points within.  The two continued back to the settlement, non-afflicted, when out of frustration Johnny punched a tree explaining the marks the others had noticed on his hands.  The camera cut out and when the picture reappeared it was night, the two were obviously spooked as they hid behind a tree listening and watching for any movement.  Suddenly, a beast appeared between the trees and began chasing the two and as they barley escaped when a bright spotlight flashed in the sky followed by the entire atmosphere lighting up in a green cross-stitch pattern as the contestants had witnessed at the camp distracting both them and likely the beast.
  
  
  
  
  It wasn't until after this that the two became agitated and confused not remembering the strange creature or the cauldron that they had just encountered.  Before they had time to analyze the intense video they had witnessed, a commotion outside led the group to the window where they saw a group of men similar in appearance as those whom they had just fled from at the science center entering the very building they inhabited.  The group hid in anticipation and a rattling of keys could be heard as the door swung open.  Rounding the corner was the last person they expected to see, host Jonathon Buckley appeared before them and with a perplexed look he sternly uttered a final line to last through the ages: "You're not supposed to be here".
  
  
  
  
  

The season finale of Siberia had viewers on the edge of their seats, however, the jaw-dropping ending left the majority of the audience confused and wanting more.  "...Into the Oven" made for an excellent ending with a jam-packed episode that kept viewers on their feet and while this sounds like a good thing, with no news of a second season it left us with few answers and even more questions.  Personally, I feel both ways as it was an amazing episode, but I was disappointed that the group traveling through the Valeymen's territory didn't have some encounter with them and the surprising ending left me mainly with guesses rather than logical clues to follow like the rest of the season provided.  Overall Siberia was an interesting ride; at first the reality competition aspect of the show had me bored and came out of the gates a little slow for my taste.  However, as the season progressed each episode became more and more intriguing as subtle clues were presented and discovering the wealth of truth behind the show was an ingenious move by the creators.  Siberia is the type of show where answers were not laid out on a silver platter for the audience and while it was a hit for the inquisitive viewer, I fear that it also had a large portion of its target audience turning away as they didn't want a show that engaged their minds.  It's competition, the television remake of Stephen King's novel Under the Dome, presented the answers to the questions that arose in an extremely slow manner that turned me away as there wasn't much thinking involved and the results were often obvious and took entire episodes for the characters to solve.  This classifies Siberia in my book as a smart series with mind-bending storylines, characters that we loved to love or loved to hate and an unusual number of unknown outside forces that effected the contestants.  This was a great episode for a confirmed return of the series next summer but I'm concerned that without another season we will be left with nothing more than conjecture and theories which is a huge let down.  I wish that the audience was provided with more concrete information to go on as as it stands there is a whole world of possibilities.  However, that won't stop me from taking what we were given and hypothesizing just where this story is leading us, so let's move right on to the new questions that arose and just what might be going on in Siberia!

I've learned from reading the various message boards and comments that no matter how logical an explanation I offer, people will ultimately believe what they want to believe, as I got a lot of slack in the beginning for offering up aliens as a possible cause of the Tunguska Event.  This combined with the fact that various television shows over the years have failed to create that perfect story with no loopholes means that even if my theories can logically explain everything, that doesn't mean that's necessarily the direction the show will choose.  Nevertheless I will conclude my Siberia chronicles with a quick recap of the questions and some final theories as to what has happened in this episode for you to make your own decision.

1. How did Daniel know the one mine Irene was on was a dud?

• Short version: luck?  I couldn't find anything online about determining a dud from an actual explosive, so I really can't answer how Daniel came to that conclusion.  I thought maybe the snow or the cold could effect its capabilities but as the minefield was clearly active shortly after Irene successfully stepped off the device I have no real answer for this particular question.  I'm open to hearing your thoughts and theories about this so please feel free to comment below!

2. Why did the Valleymen attack?

• Although I predicted the Valleymen attacking the armed men to help the contestants escape, while watching I wondered if I was on point or if there was another possibility.  Due to the fact the group was travelling through the Valleymen's territory on top of Sasha's advice to not run if they saw them I was expecting some sort of encounter between the two.  Unfortunately, this did not happen.  I originally theorized that because Miljan obviously has a connection to the beasts they would not want to see him harmed, thus when the rescue team threatened his life, they would attack in order to help him.  This very well could have been the case.
• However, a second idea crossed my mind.  The Evenkis used the snowshoes that matched the mark of the Valleymen so the beasts would not follow them.  I wonder if instead, the Valleymen simply followed the group's human footprints to the science center and coincidentally had impeccable timing.  Given a choice, I like my original theory better, it provides more of a storyline between Miljan and the Valleymen that we did not get to see played out albeit the Valleymen simply following the tracks is quite possible as well.

3. What was the weapon the military group was searching for?

• Sam translated the Russian men's conversation and uncovered they were at the science center looking for a weapon.  If the scientists were responsible for attempting to duplicate the Tunguska Event and the tower is in fact a copy of the Wardenclyffe tower (see: Siberia: Facts Edition) it would be a powerful directed-energy weapon that could also explain some of the other mysteries in this episode.  However, if opposed to my original theory that the science center was responsible for second Tunguska blast and in fact it was the cauldrons, which very well may be the writer's explanation for the original Tunguska Event as well(see: Siberia: Facts Edition), I think that yields a plausible theory that the men were looking for the cauldrons.  While I'm not sold that these metal huts are alien weaponry left in the Siberian wilderness, it is a logical direction for the show.  I believe they are looking for what caused the "fire in the sky" as before they were researching a one hundred year old event and footage from 1927, when now they know that it is in Tunguska and was used more recently so they have set out to find it.

4. Why was the town evacuated?

• I think that this fits perfectly into the weapon the armed men were searching for.  Had a powerful blast like that occurred it is feasible that nearby towns would be evacuated for safety reasons, as it could have been a misfire or a test run, as well as the continuing danger that would exist had a weapon of that nature deployed aimed at the town.  However, this theory also comes with the question: Wouldn't the Russian military be searching for the cause?  I'm at a dilemma with that one because I don't believe the armed men are Russian military.  I don't think the military would have killed the scientists inside or damaged the equipment and locked the door behind themselves.  I think that the idea that this group is working with the science center is the most plausible answer, they killed the scientists and destroyed the radio tower so no one could communicate out.  They asked if this was all of them as they didn't know which contestants had made it through the harsh conditions.  If this is the case, it backs up the theory that they didn't want the group to ever leave Siberia as they were ready to execute them.  This also means that the tower didn't cause the second event as if they had deployed their own weapon, they probably wouldn't be looking for it.  What I obtain from this line of reasoning is that while they were attempting to recreate the event, they did not succeed thus the second event must have been caused by the cauldrons. 
• While I do still think that time discrepancies play a part in the show, I don't think this is the case involving the second Tunguska-like event.  If they had flashed back to 1908 and were experiencing the original Tunguska Event it would mean that the entire world or at least Russia was jumping back and forth with them.  I've come to this conclusion because for the Russian government to evacuate a nearby town would mean they witnessed the effects as well miles away, so while I do think time disruptions are involved I don't think the "fire in the sky" was a trip back to 1908. 

5. Where did Esther go? & Did she collude with others for the cash prize?

• Esther didn't seem to know about the nearby town so I'm not sure about the idea of her planning to meet up with someone there however, Esther is a pro at lying so she could have just been plying dumb.  While I think that a reasonable twist would be to have her working with the cameraman who she blackmailed or even the host to get out with the money, there aren't really any facts or clues to go by so these ideas are nothing more than a guess.  If the goal was for Esther to get out and meet with someone, I'm not sure how she could've planned to escape and trek over a hundred miles alone.  I honestly think Esther is on her own, on the run attempting to get as far away with the money as possible!  

6. What is the significance of the cauldron & it's markings?

left: outside of the cauldron found by Johnny & Joyce;  right: inside

• I think the most important thing to take away from the cauldron was the sixteen dots in a circular formation.  While there is conjecture about this being related to the contestants, I don't really think that is the most plausible explanation as two were eliminated right off the bat and there were never sixteen contestants staying at the settlement.  Instead, I think it is related to the 1908 settlers.  In my first theories post, I hypothesized the possibility that the original settlers were somehow mutated through alien technology and might be the creatures in the woods.  The sixteen dots strengthen this theory as they may have engraved the cauldron after the Tunguska Event changed them, or the markings appeared on the cauldron as a result of the transformation.  In addition, I had wondered about how Sam's bracelet from a 1908 settler ended up in the shallow waters today.  One of my theories was that a beast still wore it as a reminder of who they used to be.  If this is the case and the original sixteen settlers were transformed it connects a good amount of dots to create a plausible theory, including why they became enemies with the Evenkis as they were believed to have caused the event.

7. What happened to Johnny & Joyce?

• While there are a lot of people out there wondering if the cauldrons caused the two's confusion in the episode "Fire in the Sky", I felt like the tape gave my theory concrete proof that it was not the cauldrons but the lights in the sky.  In this episode we saw the tape of what happened to the two while alone in the woods which provided answers to at least a few of the lingering questions out there.  We witnessed that as the two argued they came across a cauldron with unusual markings, after studying it the continued forward and didn't show any sign of confusion or disorientation.  Suddenly they were attacked by the beast, our first glance at the Valleymen which was a terrifying one (see picture below), this is what caused Joyce's abrasions and Johnny's battered hand was from nothing more than punching a tree.  After the lights in the sky progressed the two suddenly didn't remember the cauldron, the Valleyman or how they became injured, so ultimately it was pretty clear to me that the event caused their confusion.   

8. What can we take from the final visualization of the beast?

• I feel comfortable making the Valleymen and the beast synonymous.  The creature we saw attack Johnny and Joyce had the same foot structure as the footprints that Merilik explained was the mark of the Valleymen as well as the tracks Daniel found at the site of Tommy's death.  I also am pretty happy with the conclusion that they are aliens as there are many who believe both the Tunguska Event and the Cauldrons are extraterrestrial in nature.  The one thing that I think is still unknown, is whether the aliens actually ever visited Siberia as the Valleymen may be the original settlers who were transformed during the Tunguska Event.  While I at first believed that Miljan was related to the Evenki tribe, he seemed terrified by their presence and we learned that his actual connection was to the Valleymen.  If the Valleymen began as humans he could still be related to one of the original settlers and through their alien technologies or abilities they are able to communicate with him through telekinesis that sparked the Evenkis belief that shaman could inhabit one's body.
  
  
  
  above: Valleyman chasing after Johnny & Joyce
  [picture from CreativeCOW.net]

9. What was Buckley doing there?

• The host's arrival with the armed men combined with the look on his face and his tone of voice makes me think that he is in cahoots with the scientists.  Possibly, that he was placed there to keep an eye on the progress of the experiment.  It is possible that he is the mastermind behind the show and the testing as he looked on the contestants with disapproval.  I've put a lot of thought into this question and I don't believe that his clipboard in the helicopter means that he was aboard when it crashed.  In addition, he wasn't like the Jeff Probst of the show where he needed to be present at the producers' camp as he rarely interacted with the contestants.  He also lied to them about Tommy's "accident" which adds suspicion that he knew what was actually going on.  There are only two possibilities of where this could lead, either he helps the contestants or he attempts to capture and kill them once again.  The only logical reason I can deduct from him having an apartment with keys in the only building with power in an evacuated town is that he is there to oversee the experiment at both the science center and the progress of the show.  I think his final line was both telling and confusing as he didn't embrace Joyce nor did he seem pleased that the group was alive and well meaning that he knew of the events that had transpired and believed them to be dead.  I don't believe that he is part of Esther's betrayal as she wasn't aware of the town or had any assurances she would be able to escape and travel over one-hundred miles to a rendezvous point with Buckley, I think it's much more likely he is the overseer of the entire operation.

I think that this encompasses all the questions arose in the Siberia season finale.  However, as there were so many questions presented over the course of the season I will be doing an additional post that will come out Monday as an attempt to fill the void entitled Siberia in Retrospect. There I will revisit all the mysteries from the season with the finite answers we have, my logical deductions of what else is going on and the conundrums that left no real clues allowing the imagination to run wild!  Don't stop theorizing yet!  Keep tweeting #SiberiaSeason2 as even if NBC doesn't renew it, a confirmed fan base increases the chance of it being picked up by another network and we may still gain answers.  As always, please comment below with your thoughts and if you haven't checked out some of my older posts, click around for more theories, facts and recaps!  You can also check out my website, still under construction, skh.xi34.com, which will serve as a hub for all my blogs covering a plethora of networks!  Enjoy!

Siberia Reveals More!

This week's Siberia was full of discoveries and showed us that all hope is not lost for our beloved contestants.  While up to now much has been a mystery and outside my research and theories it seemed as if anything was possible.  Now with only one episode left, the picture has become much clearer as we finally saw the contestants come face to face with the Evenkis, learned more about the Valleymen and Ogdy, and made the first contact with the outside world.  While much of my research and theories have fallen in line with the story, other aspects I had previously overlooked also came to light which makes for an exciting finale when hopefully everything ultimately makes sense.  But for now, let's dive into the events of this week's Siberia, "Strange Bedfellows", a quintessential episode leading into the final chapter this season of this exhilarating show! 

• The "hikers", which should be renamed as they have reached their destination and made themselves comfortable for a few episodes now, picked up right where they left off in front of the computer that Daniel was not only able to get working but also uncovered the highly guarded video of Kulik's expedition team.  While the group encouraged him to hack it and access the Internet to send out some form of communication, he informed them it was not possible as there was no coverage in this remote area.  Rather than continue working on what seemed to be a futile task, Daniel was more concerned with the well-being of Irene and wanted to go back and rejoin the settlement.  Johnny began to break under pressure, as we saw with Neeko in the last episodes, as instead of being the fearless leader they needed, he took the stance of being realistic implying Irene was likely dead and they needed to worry about themselves now.  Daniel jumped up and stormed off in anger and Joyce followed comforting him and while he felt like he failed, she assured him insisting that they have only come this far because of his desire to save Irene.  Daniel responded with the fact that it was a stupid plan as they were now no closer to being rescued than they were before as he had begun this entire journey to save Irene which may have been an epic mistake.  He brought up Victoria and her vision after consuming the mushrooms (see: Siberia Goes Deeper into the Woods) when she had claimed they were all going to die and suggested they should have listened to her and fled, as everything they have seen and done since had presented them with a whirlwind of improbabilities and seemingly impossible tasks.  Joyce continued to support Daniel in his time of need encouraging him not to break down, but to be strong as they needed him, they were all in it together and if he is able to get the radio working he could still prove to be the hero he doesn't see himself worthy of being.  Daniel, obviously still upset, took her advice and proceeded to examine the radio tower in hopes of salvaging the situation.  Sam joined him and, in another supportive move, told him that with his hands and Daniel's brain they should be able to find a solution to the looming problem before them.  Excitedly, Daniel construed the idea of a loop antenna, similar to those atop houses, as a feasible fix and instructed Sam to find as much wire as possible.  Elsewhere, Joyce was rummaging through the lockers in hope of finding a cell phone or some other way to connect with the outside world.  When Johnny came across her he began discussing the fact that clearly strange things are happening around them with the charts, graphs and dead bodies as he has now caught onto the idea that maybe the group had stumbled onto something that they were not ever meant to discover.  Suddenly, the clattering of the falcon in its cage echoed around them and Joyce persuaded Johnny to investigate the lab.  She located a set of heavy rocks that she compared to meteorites (Tunguska Event evidence anyone?).  However, Joyce's focus quickly turned to the bird and her desire to set it free.  Although Johnny was reluctant, he grabbed one of the various tarps, but rather than the cage, he uncovered a large case resembling the Revealer with Russian letters scribed on the side.  Meanwhile, Daniel was busy clarifying his needs for the radio setup to Sam.  He described the science behind it explaining that they would only need to create one wave length which would equal out to about forty feet of wire.  The two groups clashed, with clearly different priorities on their mind, as Johnny rushed to show Sam what they had found and Joyce asked if he could interpret the lettering.  Sam translated it as "Primate Studies - Test Group A" in which Johnny threw the tarp of the neighboring box which read "Test Group B".  They immediately recognized the similarities to the Revealer and its engraving of "Test Group C" they had discovered while still at the settlement.  Johnny seemed livid with the idea that someone was studying them as Daniel proceeded to explain that it was a risk/reward device for behavioral studies in which, if an animal does something good it would be rewarded versus if they do something incorrect they would be punished or shocked.  Johnny replied that they aren't animals and questioned who was doing this to them and why as well as voiced concern regarding the men they found shot wondering if they too were part of this.  Sam interrupted informing Joyce and Johnny of their plan to fix the radio signal and contact outside help.  While Johnny was clearly still distraught over their findings, he and Joyce proceed to search for wire to help build Daniel's loop antenna.  At this point, we began to see Johnny breaking down as he was overwhelmed with the situation they have found themselves in.  He takes it out on Joyce commenting that this had always been a game to her, revealing the notes he came across at the producers' camp detailing Joyce's orders to romance him.  She tried to argue that she was an actress hired for a job and all of that stopped long ago but when he proceeded to call her a lair she hit back hard questioning him about his claims of being a bull rider, asking how many bulls he has ridden and what types declaring that they had done extensive background checks and she knew he was lying so what did he really need the money for.  She also accused him of playing games the entire time as she witnessed Esther's attempts to woo him and assumed Johnny was playing the field.
  
  
  
  
  With tempers flared, Joyce stormed off and the next we saw of her she was sobbing alone, obviously deeply effected by the fact that Johnny, whom she trusted most, had accused her of faking her feelings even with everything they had gone through together.  Johnny entered and attempted to comfort her and though she claimed she wanted to be alone he persisted and embraced her as it was evident that they both had pent up feelings and thoughts that had gone lost and unsaid through the tumultuous events they had experienced.  The cameras returned to Daniel and Sam finishing up the antenna on the icy roof.  Though they had collected enough wire, Daniel slipped and fell from the ladder while performing the final steps they needed to for communication.  Although Sam rushed to his side and Daniel claimed he was alright, in a grim scene we saw him clutch the back of his head and upon viewing his hand he realized it was covered in blood.  Sam rushed to inform Johnny and Joyce of Daniel's injury and walked in on them kissing, as they had visibly resolved their issues and they all hurried to Daniel to provide help.  Daniel refused any aid and was adamant about simply finishing what he had started as they were only one step away from possible rescue.  We saw the group working together to stretch the wire across the rooftops In in their final attempt to fix the radio to send out a distress call.  In the personal interviews we were able to hear what each contestant was feeling at this critical apex of their journey.  Sam admitted that when he first met Daniel he didn't think much of him, a skinny young boy who Sam thought should be in school somewhere, not out in the dangerous Siberian wilderness, turned out to be amazing, smart and talented, a David to the Goliath of a situation that had been dealt.  Joyce shared, that the men she has been surrounded by for their journey have surprised her, she wouldn't have gotten so far without their physical, mental and emotional help, especially Johnny who was sweeter than she ever imagined.  However in a surprising confession, Johnny admitted that he needed to get back home to his loved ones and wouldn't be making any further effort to save the others as he's not a superhero, but did finally help Joyce free the falcon.  The group huddled together in the radio room and Sam was able to find an open frequency in which he sent out numerous calls for help with no reply.  He worked together with the cameramen to come up with a list of Russian words, spelt out phonetically and instructed Daniel on how to continue to call for help.  While the others slept, Daniel consistently and persistently used the notes Sam drew up to try and contact anyone in the outside world.
  
  
  
  
  When Joyce awoke, she offered to take over so Daniel could get some sleep, but he refused stating that he wanted to be there when, or if, anyone answered their desperate pleas.  Finally the static-filled transmission came to life with someone answering on the other end.  The cameraman, who's fluent in Russian, took over and Sam translated the response as "location".  Johnny rushed to retrieve the map and Daniel worked quickly to decipher their coordinates which they then relayed to the man on the other end of the transmission.  Their part in this episode concluded with the group jumping and shouting in joy with the knowledge that whomever received their distress call was coming.  
  
  
  
  
  
• "Strange Bedfellows" began with Neeko, Miljan and Sabina marching in line with the armed natives, worried and unsure of their fate or their destination.  They ultimately found themselves in a different kind of settlement, one filled with local people of all ages and a primitive backdrop with teepees as their shelter.  Pushed into one of the structures they came face to face with Esther and Annie who were both alive and well, but also confused and scared with no knowledge of who these people were or their intentions.  They explained to the three newcomers that they hadn't been hurt and that they also had seen Irene, but only through the sliver of an opening in a neighboring teepee and had no clue of her status.  Sabina rationalized that they wouldn't keep a corpse in one of their tents and was adamant they stay quiet and obedient as they waited to see what the natives wanted.  Annie exclaimed that they were the people Sam had read about in Miljan's found journal and the group debated while Neeko was sure they could help them find safety, Miljan argued that they didn't seem like they wanted to help as they sat outside the teepee armed with various weapons.  However, Neeko stepped up as a leader again, restless and uncomfortable, and barged out into the open demanding answers.  Questioning the native faces of confusion and fear, he asked who was in charge and if any of them spoke English.  A young woman stepped forward and replied, asking who they were.  Surprised she spoke English, Neeko began a dialogue with her in which he asked why were they taken and she responded stating they are trespassers here.  Playing the peacemaker role, Neeko continued to explain that they meant no harm, they were part of a television show that went wrong and asked for a telephone or some way to contact help in order to leave concluding that they came in peace.  The young woman again responded disclosing that they could not help the contestants, they had already tried to warn them away and now the group has caused troubles for them all, but ultimately, the shaman would decide their fate.  Neeko continued, but Sabina thanked them and pulled him back into their teepee, explaining that the shaman was like their leader (see: Siberia Gets Cold for more information on the shamans of the Evenkis) and to wait.  While Miljan wanted to make a break and run from the tribe, the little girl Sabina had come across earlier in the woods from the episode "She Said It" (see: Siberia Gets Good!) brought the group blankets and introduced herself as Sasha.  Neeko and the others were shocked to find out that Sabina knew this young blonde but more importantly Neeko saw that Sasha and Sabina instantly clicked and asked Sabina if she could get her to help them, in which Sabina replied "she already is".  The shaman entered their teepee with the English speaking member of their tribe who presented him with the same poisonous mushrooms the group was familiar with.  Though they told the young woman about how one of their group members had consumed the mushrooms and become very sick, she informed them that only the shaman can eat them as he is holy and they allow him to see into the future.  The shaman stood up, his head dropped down and he began moaning while continuously walking in place, then he suddenly turned and left the teepee.  The group was shocked by what they had saw but most of all worried as Miljan insisted that whatever he saw it wasn't good as the look in his eyes frightened them.
  
  
  
  
  The young woman returned and to their relief informed them that her tribe would take them to the white men who were not far away for help but that they were banished from the land and never able to return.  They inquired about Irene asking to see her and they were led into an eerie teepee with the skulls of dead animals and various objects suspended by string around where she lay.  Irene was thrilled to see them, Annie commented right away about the fact that Irene's color had returned and she no longer had a fever.  Neeko asked to see her wound and to his surprise the infected gash that had once been there was nicely bandaged and almost fully healed.  Shocked, they asked what the natives had done and she explained that they continuously put a concoction onto her wound and the little blonde Sasha interjected that it was healing herbs that had help her make this miraculous recovery.  Suddenly, they heard commotion outside as the dogs began to bark and when they peaked out they witnessed one of the locals returning covered in blood and badly injured.  The group was concerned by whatever had attacked this man but also terrified as what was responsible must have been close by.  The young woman returned and as they inquired regarding what had happened she informed them that by coming to Siberia they had crossed into the land of the Valleymen and broke a long treaty and trust the Evenkis had shared with them.  She informed them the tribe would leave to take them away at first light, but Esther interrupted claiming they needed to return to the settlement first.  The group was confused as there was nothing there for them and being rescued was much more important.  Esther justified her comment by stating that they needed supplies as they didn't know how long they would be out in the open.  The young woman agreed to stop at the settlement as it was on the way.  Sabina finally confronted Esther about the empty bottle of sleeping pills she had found and, of course, Esther denied everything claiming she had no clue what she was talking about.  Sabina sat by the campfire and talked with Sasha, she asked if the young woman who spoke English was her mother and was surprised to find that the woman whose name is Merilik simply looked after Sasha and neither her mother or father was amongst the tribe.  Sasha explained that she had no memory of her mother but her father was an American scientist who had taught Merilik English.  Sabina shared her locket with Sasha as she told her about her son who was Sasha's age and fantasized about them meeting one day.  Inside the teepee with the remainder of the contestants, Miljan continued to voice his yearning to just make a run for it as they questioned whether or not they can actually trust these people.  Neeko asked if they could even trust Sabina who had kept the knowledge of the little girl and the fact that she knew others lived in the woods from the group, but came to the conclusion that they had to extend their trust, at least for now.  They ate together and Merilik told them more about the Evenkis' history, she explained that one-hundred years ago Ogdy, their god, had punished them for their sins, he had flattened their land and set the sky on fire and now it was happening again.
  
  
  
  
  At first light the group took off, with Irene and Sasha on a dog sled and the others running behind them they quickly reached the settlement.  While Neeko instructed everyone to quickly grab anything they might need, Esther made a bee line for the large duffel she had held unusually close after the Revealer had opened.  Miljan quickly grabbed the bag from her, insisting he'd carry it and reminding her that they were going to be good friends, clearly implying that the contents of the bag were what he had earlier threatened her with saying if she didn't help him escape he would inform the others of what she had stole from the Revealer.  Neeko made a comment how it was the six of them who made it through the treacherous competition but that none of them would get the money and Esther bashfully turned away.  As they continued their journey suddenly the dogs stopped and began barking as the group saw a large clearing with a hut located not far away.  Merilik told them they must not go that way as it was a cursed area.  Miljan asked her about the hut and she explained that there are some areas of the woods that have strange effects on the mind, that this is how many had got lost and perished in Siberia which is how it got its name "The Valley of Death".  Merilik stopped abruptly and informed them this was as far as the Evenkis could take them, they would have to travel the remainder of the way alone.  She continued by stating that this was the border between their territory, The Valley of Death and The Valley of Man.  Miljan noticed this territorial line was marked by the compass symbol he had carved into his arm, when he asked about the significance of it Merilik explained that it was the marking of the Valleymen.  Irene thanked Merilik for her help stating she never would have survived without her.  Esther attempted to take a weapon from one of the Evenkis saying they couldn't leave them unarmed with only Sabina's rifle to trek through the dangerous territory, but they refused.  Sabina gave a heartfelt goodbye to Sasha where she told Sabina that if she saw them not to run as well as a cryptic message that she whispered into Sabina's ear too low for the audience to understand.  Miljan asked the Evenkis if they were still trying to scare them, with their boots shaped like the monster's.  They explained that their snowshoes were the markings of the feet of the Valleymen and they utilized them in order to avoid being followed by the beast.  
  
  
  

With the season finale all too soon I find myself with a bittersweet feeling, on the one hand excited to see how the first season of Siberia concludes and on the other sad to see it go.  However, it has been a wonderful show with depth and complexity at every turn and this episode was no different.  The changes we saw in Neeko and Johnny were the most interesting part of "Strange Bedfellows" for me as well as finally getting a visualization of the Evenki culture after my research into them in Siberia Gets Cold.  Another great realization was the fact that Miljan's connection is to the mysterious Valleymen or beasts of the woods and I can't wait to see how that ultimately unfolds!  We have been led through an amazing journey, don't miss the cultivation of this spectacular new series next Monday on NBC and check back here for my final post on Siberia. 

"Strange Bedfellows" answered a lot of questions and hopefully next week's season finale will show the story coming full circle as everything is revealed.  However, my high expectations leave no room for error as I expect all to become clear, with no holes, which is a high order to fill.  Before diving into the remaining mysteries I'd like to point out something about my research that I've received a number of comments about.  By no means have the facts I've laid out been a simple copy of Wikipedia information.  Instead the writers and creators have taken real historical and scientific information and creatively put them together into a complex story with tons of twists and turns.  I did an enormous amount of digging to find evidence that went along with the creative direction of the show.  For example the Wardenclyffe tower, that was strikingly similar to the tower in the show, had nothing to do with creating lights in the sky or manipulating the weather.  I had to piece together an enormous amount of facts about Tesla's other inventions and new science out there that used the same technology and connected the dots the show had provided.  Thus the writers have not stuck to the simple facts in any way, but have pieced together loads of information and created something unique.  My research was simply gathering the creative clues from the show and piecing them together with the real history and science out there.  Without further ado let's jump into the final questions that lay before us and some theories on how Siberia will all wrap up!

1. What is the significance of the test groups? & What is the purpose of the experiment? 
• While I tried to ignore it for sometime, and could easily write it off, the discovery of the previous primate test studies at the Russian outpost made it clear that this was always meant to be more than just a reality competition.  I passed over the "Test Group C" engraving in the Revealer as there was no other proof that this was meant to be anything other than a reality show that ended up going terribly wrong and a strange Russian science center that appeared to have no connection to the show, but now we have confirmation that the two are connected, I needed to find the common thread.  I have spent a considerable amount of time storyboarding and brainstorming the facts and the only logical explanation I could come up with is as follows.  They want the beast, whether to study it in order to duplicate it or for other ulterior motives entirely this has to be the end game.  I'd like to lay out my reasoning in the simplest way possible:
1. They have money.  In order to build the science center and the Tesla tower they must be well financed.  In addition, to employ an entire television crew and offer up a half million dollar prize, money is no object in this project.
2. They needed human test subjects.  My thoughts are that after attempting to lure the beasts with monkeys or other animals, using the Revealers to keep them in the settlement area and the speakers to scare them from venturing in the woods, the tests failed as they were unable to lure the beast and thus came to the conclusion they needed humans for their bait.  They created the reality competition as a way to get humans to stay at the settlement without knowledge of their testing.  I also believe that the entire film and production crew was in the dark about this mastermind's real goal.  Likely creator Matt Arnold ( :D) would be the man behind it all.  He had to make it believable, which is why everyone thought they were participating in a real show and they added Joyce to the mix in order to stir up the normal reality drama with love interests and sabotage (little did they know Esther would end up doing that on her own).   
3. They succeeded a little too well.  After the first tests with primates they came up with the idea of using the tower to simulate the original Tunguska event in hopes this would lure the beast out of hiding and it did just that.  Unfortunately the beast responded by attacking the real film crew which left the contestants without aid and caused them to do what the primates didn't, venture out for help.  While the animal noises and the Revealer was not enough to keep human subjects in the area, they did the unexpected and refused to just sit and wait for help but venture out into the wild in order to survive. 
4. This succession of events was not what the creator had in mind and with the deaths of the television crew and the contestants about to stumble upon the science center, other measures had to be employed.  They used the tower's ability to manipulate the weather which caused a winter wonderland in hopes that the hikers would either return to the settlement or perish in the snow.  When they continued to persevere it was necessary to cover all tracks and keep them from reaching the outside world thus they killed the scientists and destroyed the tower as well as the computers that documented their work.  Little did they know, Daniel would also be a crux in their plan and figure out, against all odds, how to salvage the parts and reach out for help.
• I don't think it was ever an experiment in human behavior.  It does not justify the deaths of so many people or the money put into the experiment.  While they used simple behavioral techniques to attempt to keep them at the settlement, whatever they were planning is clearly much bigger and much more important then a study on what people would do in this environment.
• The study of Kulik's video, in addition to the writings in his diary about the Valleymen prove that this is what they were actually interested in.
2. Was the snow a punishment for the group venturing out of camp? 
• While I have previously discussed the idea that the scientists purposely caused the snow to either derail the contestants and force them back to the settlement or kill them as the master plan ran off the tracks, there is now a third possibility in line with the behavioral modification equipment.  As I found while researching for my last post (see: Siberia Gets Scary), the tower has the capability to manipulate the weather and while I still believe it was done to force the contestants back to the settlement or cause their death, it also now fits in line with this action being used as a punishment for wandering away from the camp and getting too close to the science center and discovering the ulterior motives.
3. Who will come to rescue them?
• From the previews it's clear that their knights in shining armor might be more of a threat than a blessing which has me wondering just who are these people they contacted.  The simple answer is that whomever is in charge of this experiment has money and power and does not want their secret to get out.  They have made no attempts to rescue their subjects and gone to considerable lengths, i.e. murdering the scientists and destroying the communication, to keep them from reaching the outside world.  A plausible theory is that it is their own private army who they have employed to finish the contestants off to keep their project a secret, the only question remaining is, will they succeed?
4. Who is Sasha?
• It was revealed that while she doesn't remember her mother, she does know that her father was an American scientist.  While I remember reading an article that recently an American ventured into the Valley of Death to study the Tunguska event I was unable to find it again and come up with a name.  Even so, I'm not so sure that this is as much a connection to real history as it is to the world of the show.  I wonder if the scientist was consulting at the Russian outpost and her mother also has some connection to the show.  Is it possible Berglind is her mother and she purposely took the wrong route because she works for the production company like Joyce?  Or even some recreation of Sabina as we still have the skeleton to account for and she and Sasha seem to have an unknown connection.
5. Why did Esther insist on returning to the settlement?
• For the money! (see: Siberia Gets Cold!)  I spoke in previous posts about the idea that Esther found the money in the Revealer and how she cradled that duffel bag in a strange way.  This proved that this is likely the case.  In addition, Miljan's insistence to hold the bag for her strengthened the idea that this is what he threatened to reveal to the others had she not helped him escape and that he is still using it as leverage.
6. Who are the Valleymen? & What is their relation to Miljan?
• First, as I know there have been a lot of newcomers to the blog, please check out the information I posted a few weeks ago about Ogdy, the shamans and Miljan at the bottom of the post Siberia Gets Cold.  Last week I was a little concerned when Miljan showed so much discomfort regarding the Evenki people.  He said in the woods he felt himself being surrounded and ran, he repeatedly told the others that they were coming and froze when the Evenkis surrounded them as Miljan, Neeko and Sabina were running to the men's cabin and in this episode while they were at the Evenkis' camp he constantly wanted to flee and talked about how he didn't trust them.  While I had theorized that all of Miljan's strange behavior could be explained by the idea of a past shaman inhabiting his body, then why was he so scared of the Evenkis who he should have a connection to?  In a wonderful twist it all made sense in the conclusion of this episode when we discovered that the very symbol he had carved into his body was that of the Valleymen, the Evenkis' enemies.  Therefore I still believe that he has been possessed by a past shaman and his fascination and knowledge of Ogdy makes perfect sense as he is not connected to the human natives but rather the mysterious beast or beasts known as the Valleymen.
• I'd also like to point out that when I first learned about the Valleymen and included them in my original theories post after "Lyin' Tiger and Bare" (see: Siberia: Theories Blown Open!), I thought that the Valleymen were the beast, but when Sam translated some of the journal in "Out of the Frying Pan" I changed my tune as it seemed the Valleymen in the show were referring to the locals.  While they are in fact locals, I ended up being right in the first place as we now know that the Valleymen refer to the beast and not the native Evenki tribe. (I should've stuck to my gut feeling!)  
7. What is the hut?
• Aliens and wormholes aren't out of the picture yet!  When I first saw this mysterious hut in the middle of the clearing, to me, it resembled the cowling of an aircraft, the two large bullet shaped pieces that encompass the turbines.  It was not primitive like the Evenkis' teepees and even looked as if it was made out of metal.  This could easily be the entrance to an alien aircraft bringing all my original research back into play. (see: Siberia Theories Blown Open!)  Either way, there is a mystery tied into this hut and the fact that Merilik claimed that it was a cursed area that often caused confusion could be explained by alien technology.  The fact that the beast has been around for over one-hundred years, according to the Evenkis, means it is much too old for scientists to have genetically created it.  While the Evenkis may have seen the materialization and the Tunguska event as a punishment from Ogdy, it is still possible that it was actually caused by an alien species entering Earth's atmosphere which leaves a whole new world of possibilities for following seasons!  I've done some research and there are actually metal cauldrons in Siberia that are believed to have been built by aliens, which means my first thoughts that the creature was extraterrestrial now has more backing!
  
  
  
  
  
8. What happened with Ogdy?
• When Merilik spoke of Ogdy in this episode it reaffirmed my theory that the beast was a punishment for the misuse of power.  She said they were being punished for their sins and that falls right into line with my thinking.  However, why it is happening again I think has less to do with the Evenkis and more to do with the experiments attempting to recreate the original Tunguska event.  As Merilik also said, the contestants and possibly the producers broke their peace treaty with the Valleymen by crossing over into their territory.  I don't think the "Fire in the Sky" we witnessed in the show was Ogdy, I think it was the scientists and their tower (see: Siberia Gets Scary), but upon seeing the lights in the sky, as I have discussed before, the beasts felt as if they had the god's blessing to attack the trespassers.  Or if they are aliens saw the fire in the sky as related to their arrival and it agitated them, possibly thinking they needed to prepare for more of their kind.
9. How will it all end?
• I think it will be simple.  While Johnny, Joyce, Sam and Daniel wait for rescue they will delve more into the experiment that they have unknowingly been a part of as well as what Johnny has been hiding from the rest of the group.  The six settlers who are now the hikers will venture into the territory of the Valleymen and with Sabina's wits and Miljan's connection will be able to make it safely to the science center and reunite with the others.  Once there the "rescue team" will arrive and instead of taking them to safety attempt to eliminate them once and for all.  Hopefully Esther's bag of cash will be discovered sometime in this journey.  Unexpectedly when Miljan's life is endangered I think the mastermind behind it all will get what they wanted and the beast will finally show its face.  I think that it will attack the military "rescuers" who threaten Miljan along with Daniel's smarts, Sam's hands and with Neeko and Johnny finally working together to lead the group they will be able to escape and possibly destroy the military presence leaving them still stranded, armed with more knowledge and ready for another season with the same cast diving into the mysteries with more knowledge than before and attempting to get out and expose the experimentation but also figure out exactly what's going on.  But hey, I'm a dreamer!  

While I know a lot of you are hoping that we wont be left with a cliffhanger, I think this is a high possibility and would like to share an article with you that you can read for yourself here.  It discusses Siberia's creation and the fact that even if the numbers don't work out well for NBC to renew it for American audiences, it has already been sold to a number of other countries and has the possibility of being picked up by another network.  But don't give up hope yet, keep tweeting #SiberiaSeason2 and you can sign the petition for NBC to renew our beloved drama here.  Also on the top left of my blog page is an area where you can vote on what show, or shows, you'd like to see me blog about in the fall, please participate as your input will help me decide!  You can also comment on other shows not on the list below.  Thanks for reading and please comment, as always I would love to hear your thoughts on how the final chapter will unfold!

(above) "Sneak Peek" of next week's finale, courtesy of nbc.com/siberia.
Where are Annie and Esther?
Doesn't this paint a picture of triumph and a lead into season 2?

Siberia Gets Scary

Siberia has come a long way from its reality competition roots as we find ourselves thrown into a world of scientists, creepy experiments, the local tribe, an unknown beast and a fight-till-the-end survival story.  It has truly captured my eyes, mind and heart as I feel overwhelmingly attached to the characters and immersed in the interesting history and now science threaded into the show.  I find it helpful to re-read some of my previous posts to not only remind me what's happened and how far we've come but also how vast the original theories were compared to now with so much more information not only from the show, but also my research and I encourage you to click around as well!  Let's jump right in to the events of this week's episode, "One by One" which was by far the scariest episode to date, as well as my new research and ideas as I found some very interesting information that culminates nicely into a working theory as to what's really going on!  While the show actually jumps back and forth between the "settlers" and the "hikers", I chose to sum each storyline up individually for clarity and continuity.  So here's a look at this week's Siberia.

• Joyce, Sam, Daniel and Johnny, were no longer trekking through the dangerous weather conditions during this episode as they had reached the Russian outpost.  The group settled in quickly taking advantage of the warm coats, blankets and the strange lime green soda from the fridge.  However, they were also quite eager to finish their mission: to find help and rescue the others from the dangerous situation they have been dealt.  Johnny immediately wanted to search for a radio and he and Daniel began exploring the pitch black building.  In a humorous moment Johnny attempted to instruct the cameraman to turn on his light and the black backdrop finally lit up with Johnny grabbing the camera to do it himself.  They entered into a large garage containing a tractor as well as two adjacent rooms, a security room with video monitoring equipment and much needed flashlights, and a locked room with Russian letters scribed across the door.  Having no luck in their current building, and desperate to contact help, they decided to explore the neighboring structure, while Sam and Joyce held back.  As soon as Johnny was about to break another window in attempt to gain entrance, Joyce suddenly emerged surprising them both.  She informed the two that she had found a set of keys in the pocket of her borrowed jacket.  Daniel was able to unlock the main door and they ventured into what was more terrifying than anything they had yet to encounter on their entire journey, as every misstep had them jumping in fear.  At one point Daniel clumsily knocked into a cabinet and as the clatter echoed throughout the entire building Joyce chided him as they had no clue what lay before them in this mysterious space.  As the three traveled deeper into the building Daniel located an ancient radio that unfortunately only used electricity rather than a newer battery-powered transistor like he'd hoped.  Now they were in search for a breaker to power the massive machinery, but during their search to turn on the lights they discovered bullets scattered across the ground and a map that Johnny quickly began to study.  The empty space was soon filled with Joyce's screams and it was revealed that a dead body lay at her feet, shot with bullets that were scattered around him.  Daniel located the breaker, but as he flipped the switch and the lights flickered to life, Johnny realized that illumination might not be a good thing.  A room sprawled with lifeless bodies laid before him and as he instructed Joyce to stay away and tried to protect her from the horrific sight, the lights shut off as quickly as they appeared and they were left hopeless and shocked at what they had uncovered.
  
  
  
  
  The group reunited with Sam and while he questioned them about the scene in the adjacent building it was clear Daniel was too stunned and unwilling to discuss it further.  Sensing this, Sam quickly changed the subject noting that if there was a breaker in the other structure, there must be one in theirs as well and he playfully encouraged Daniel to help him find it with a sentimental memory from the settlement saying "we're about to go fishing".  Though they searched the same area Johnny and Daniel had explored earlier Sam sensed movement and a loud crash was heard from the mysterious locked room.  While Sam was hesitant as he translated the sign on the door to read "laboratory", now armed with the keys Daniel unlocked the room and ventured inside.  On the opposite side of the door was nothing short of what viewers thought of Dr. Frankenstein's lab: a room filled with creepy experiments, mutated animals, photos of fetus development, charts and tools of every kind.  Daniel also came across a pair of atomic clocks that were four minutes apart and while he was confused by this impossibility, due to the fact Sam didn't understand the importance of this irregularity he dropped the subject.  Another large banging sound was heard and the two realized that it was emanating from a covered cage, Daniel lifted the tarp and uncovered a falcon inside.  While I'm sure this is a valuable clue, all I can make of it is that the scientist understood the need of bird DNA to replicate the beast as Ogdy (see: Siberia Gets Cold) is also represented by the thunderbird and the beast was created when the Evenkis called upon the god to destroy their enemies.
  
  
   
  
  As the two had completed their search and Daniel confided that even if they found a breaker in this particular structure it would be useless as the radio was much too massive to transport from the other building they reunited with Joyce and Johnny.  Although they brought up their findings as well as the discrepancy with the atomic clocks, Daniel had no interest in attempting to explain it to the rest of their group.  While Daniel was still feeling helpless, Sam again took the lead, informing them that any power in this remote area would likely come from a generator that would be located outside.  Leaving the others again, he and Daniel continued their search for power.  Outside they were able to find the generators quickly as well as fuel to power them and in no time they had lit up the entire science center.  As the group immediately set out for the radio, they were unable to obtain a signal and while they had overcome a multitude of problems, it had ultimately ended in failure setting a grim tone amongst the hikers.  As they argued amongst themselves about how to get the radio working, Daniel exclaimed that he believed he knew the problem and darted outside with the others following in tow.  In the frozen darkness they located the radio tower knocked over and split in half which Joyce quickly recognized as the beacon that they had followed for most of their trip.  However, just as the men inside had been murdered, it seemed as if someone was dedicated to keeping them from calling for help, or discovering what exactly the scientists were doing in this remote research institute. 
  
  
  
  
  The next day was filled with hopelessness as they attempted to do whatever they could to keep themselves busy and search for answers.  Daniel began to attempt to piece together the busted computers inside the room filled with bodies.  Johnny took another look at the map and stated that they must have been traveling in circles which confused me a bit as they seemed to have made a beeline for the beacon.  He located another town nearby on the map but when Daniel studied the scale they realized it was a whopping 124 miles away, much too far to travel on foot.  Sam took pleasure in the creature comforts the science center gave them and made himself a cup of coffee confessing that though it was horrible it was also the best he had ever had in his life.  Continuing the theme, Joyce also explained that finding herself in the life or death situation had made her take stock in the everyday pleasures we take for granted.  In a search for Joyce, Johnny discovered her changing on a security monitor but blocked it off from the prying eyes of the cameraman in a gentlemanly gesture.  The day flew by with montages and interviews with Joyce expressing concern about the other group's lack of food and hope that they could get back in time to help Irene.  Daniel, clearly feeling run down, claimed he's not a hero, so why is he trying to be one and Johnny commented on the fact that they have made it so far only due to sheer luck.  Johnny informed Sam about the nearby town and his thoughts about getting the tractor working in order to travel the distance.  They searched for the keys and in a touching, but still manly moment, the two who were once at odds connected and thanked each other for saving their lives.  While the search turned up nothing, Sam admitted that when he was young he took cars and might be able to hotwire the tractor.  We also saw Joyce removing the boots from one of the bodies, apologizing and confessing her guilt in stealing from a dead man.  Sam brought up the idea of synchronicity or fate to Johnny and Joyce, confessing that if Esther hadn't removed the flag in the first challenge Sam probably would have been sent home and reflected on how one event could change everything.  Just as the topic of fate had begun, which I find to be an incredibly important aspect of the show especially with the hikers as they have overcome so much and seem to have the perfect skill set along with an enormous amount of luck (see: Siberia Gets Attacked), Daniel ran in exclaiming that he had succeeded in fixing the computer.  As they gathered around his accomplishment he went into the technical aspects he had to overcome but as the others had no idea what he was talking about he simply explained that someone really didn't want them to discover what was on the computer.  He played a black and white video in which Sam translated the Russian subtitles informing them that it was a tape of Kulik's expedition, the same man whose journal Miljan possesses, where they are exploring the area in which a bunch of people went missing - "Tunguska".  I can't help but wonder what the show would have been like had I not done so much research in the beginning as this is the first time we have heard the word Tunguska on the show(see: Siberia: Theories Blown Open!).  Johnny noticed the similarity of the trees on the tape to what they had witnessed in the woods and he asked what the cause had been.  In a mysterious and proper ending Sam explained that no one knows.  
  
• Neeko and Sabina had returned to the settlement to find it empty.  Though Neeko continued to yell and search for Esther and Annie, Sabina was certain they would not be returning.  Suddenly a loud cry consumed the area that sounded like a "squawk" and the two raced to the cabin as Sabina readied the bow and arrow to impale anyone who attempted to attack the group.  As the door swung open, a sigh of relief was felt as it was not an unknown beast or hostile locals but Miljan who entered.  He explained to them that he had taken Irene into the forest, guided by a male voice in his head who instructed him that if he did so, Irene would be safe.  However, while in the woods, he had begun to feel as if he was being surrounded by all sides with the fog obstructing his view, he mentioned seeing hundreds of footprints and terrified he chose to abandon Irene to fend for herself in the frozen wilderness.  While Sabina insisted that they needed to arm themselves, locate the gun and create a safe-hold if they wanted to survive, Miljan was confident that no matter what they did the group wouldn't survive the night.  Neeko suggested that fire would be a good deterrent for an animal threat and Sabina agreed claiming it would also allow them to see humans before they get too close.  Miljan still took on the woeful view of there was nothing they could do to help saying whatever's out there is not animal nor human, but Sabina and Neeko remained determined to stay alive.  They created a number of torches and set them up in a circle surrounding the settlement while Miljan continued to make claims such as "they're watching us" and "they're so close".
  
  
   
  
  As the contestants waited and watched it was clear that although Neeko had been a reliable leader in the beginning of the show, the wall he built up by insisting every strange occurrence was a product of the producers was no longer a viable theory.  Realizing that the strange events weren't bring orchestrated by the producers and the fact that there was a real threat they may not be able to overcome, has begun to take a toll on him.  His strained relationship with Miljan continued to cause friction, as Neeko snapped at him and Miljan encouraged Neeko to go ahead and hit him claiming he was not afraid of Neeko.  They continued to bicker, now about Miljan's book in a comical banter in which Miljan rebuffed Neeko saying he didn't need to read Russian to comprehend its content and asking "What are we friends now? Should we go get some coffee and discuss the contents?".  Sabina remained calm and determined, knowing that in order to protect themselves they needed a weapon more powerful than the bow and arrows and studied the map from the Revealer in hope of finding the hidden gun.  She was able to decipher it and found that while they had been running through the woods in search of the rifle, it may have been closer than they realized as she believed it was hidden in the men's cabin this whole time.  While attempting to make a quick dash across the settlement an eerie scene progressed as the torches they had placed around the camp began to extinguish one by one as if a ghost was encompassing the area.  Miljan froze repeating "I knew it" and the others quickly ushered him inside.  They barricaded the doors of the cabin and Sabina quickly began to search the quarters, able to locate a false wall with the coveted gun waiting beneath the faux paneling.  She opened the door and fired a warning shot immediately locking themselves back in.  The group quietly kept guard observing the settlement for any movement.  We heard the personal interviews of the group and while Sabina wondered about the fate of the missing girls, Neeko began questioning if they would make it out alive and whether he would ever see his brother again.  Miljan continued to gripe about being hungry and Sabina informed them that it was clear and just as they were about to venture out of the cabin into the daylight they heard the swift roar of planes overhead.  They ran out to see the cause of the commotion and witnessed fighter jets zooming across the sky.  Though they tried to yell out and signal the jets, Sabina explained that they couldn't see them from the tiny cockpit of the aircraft.  While Sabina and Neeko were outside studying the torches Miljan took the time to make a personal plea to the viewers claiming he's not crazy, that both the others had seen the footprints and heard the noises in the woods but refused to believe him.  We heard Sabina talk about how it was no longer a game and that while they were all in it together to survive, it still was the case of every man for himself.  Miljan also touched on the topic we had heard the hikers discuss; that the world isn't black and white, there is a purpose or a plan behind it all and especially in Siberia nothing happens by accident everything has some hidden reason behind it.  Sabina and Neeko discussed that around the torches there had been the same footprints they had now become familiar with when Miljan called out for Sabina.  He had uncovered the hidden stash of food Neeko had confiscated earlier in the season and tensions were higher than ever.  While he insisted he was going to share, and I want to believe him, it's clear that this group is falling apart at the seams and with death being a real possibility he might have taken the stance of every man for himself as well.  While this was the icing on the cake for Miljan as he called Neeko a hypocrite and nothing more than a bully as they were all starving and Neeko had claimed there was no more food, Sabina was shocked as she told Neeko "not you" and took a stance of disappointment as she had believed he was a friend and someone she could trust.  While Miljan had stormed out of the cabin he suddenly called to the others telling them to come outside now, as they opened the door Sabina was immediately disarmed as they were now face to face with the locals, a group of heavily armed men who surrounded them.  However, perhaps the biggest surprise of this encounter was not the presence of other humans or the threat they might impose, but rather their strange footwear: two-pronged snowshoes consistent with the shape of the deadly beast. 
  
  
   
  
  

Overall this episode was much more spooky than its predecessors.  The discovery of dead bodies, creepy experiments, flames extinguished as if by a ghost and finally seeing the faces of the Evenkis we have been discussing for some time now, made for a jam-packed episode that, in my opinion, takes a place next to "Fire in the Sky" as one of my favorites!  It also affirmed some of my theories and opened the door for a clear-cut way to explain exactly what's going on, but as it is still fictional television anything can happen next!  While the hikers are working together and have created a much closer bond, the settlers have been picked off one by one as the tables have turned and they found themselves in a much more stressful situation.  The concept of fate was brought up in both groups and I think it is a topic to think about.  As I discussed in my post for "A Gathering Fog", Siberia Gets Attacked, it is strange how the group of hikers have overcome so much and have the perfect skill set amongst them to overcome all their challenges as well as an extraordinary amount of luck.  In addition, with the settlers they have Sabina who is a trained soldier and Miljan who has an obvious connection to the land with his inexplicable knowledge of Ogdy, his ability to follow the compass symbols and locate the journal and the voice in his head that  saved Irene's life, fate or purpose must play a big part in the mysterious happenings they have found themselves immersed in.  All in all it was an amazing episode and I am anxious to see what happens next week!  Without further ado, let's dive into the questions, facts and theories regarding what's really going on in Siberia.

After the introduction of the tower that zapped Johnny (see: Siberia Gets Attacked), many people asked what I thought about the fact that it was similar to a tower built by Nikola Tesla and how it might fit into the ongoing theories of the show.  While I have knowledge of Tesla and his experiments, I hit the books attempting to find as much as I could about the original "Wardenclyffe Tower".  Unfortunately, because it was never completed due to lack of funding, there is not any concrete proof on what it could do, only what Tesla claimed he would have accomplished.  However, there was enough information based on his descriptions and other technologies to formulate some hypotheses on its potential capability.  The "Wardenclyffe Tower" was built right before the Tunguska event and there are some theories that Tesla's experiments were the cause of the original 1908 event.  This idea lacks a lot of evidence and doesn't really hold water, thus I personally don't believe that it had anything to do with the real life event.  However, with regards to the show, the facts point to the possibility that this tower coupled with other technologies could explain a lot of the strange events the contestants have experienced.  Let's jump into the facts and how they might clarify what's going on in Siberia!

• The Wardenclyffe Tower was built between 1898 and 1907 in Long Island, but was shut down and abandoned before the Tunguska event.  The idea behind it was to create wireless communication, basically what we have today, that would consist of a series of towers using Tesla's famous coil as an energy source. 
• Based on this, it made no sense why the tower that shocked Johnny (see: Siberia Gets Attacked) would have anything to do with the strange occurrences in Siberia.  However, I dug deeper into Tesla's later inventions as well as other technologies in use today and was able to connect them into a working theory.
• Tesla's work in the 1930's was on a high energy particle beam called Teleforce that was dubbed the death ray.  It worked by creating a stream of charged mercury or tungsten powered by the famous Tesla Coil that directed a beam of energy into the ionosphere.  In addition, to create the necessary equilibrium the tower must be firmly supported in the ground.  This connects the presence of a similar tower in Siberia, and while the Wardenclyffe Tower was created for telecommunication, it was a unique power source that could be utilized for various reasons.  The Teleforce, powered by the Tesla Coil, is an example of a directed-energy weapon which have been known to cause physical, physiological and psychological effects.  This technology is known by the Russian Armed Forces.
• The fact that the Teleforce was not created until the 1930's, and we only have Tesla's word that he had successfully invented it even then, raises more doubts with me that the 1908 Tunguska event was caused by this death ray.  However, it makes perfect sense that the Russian scientists at the outpost were attempting to recreate the event and/or the beast using a directed-energy weapon which was activated in the episode "Fire in the Sky" (see: Siberia Gets a Little Stranger).
• Due to the fact that this type of weapon can cause psychological manifestations, it would explain Johnny and Joyce's confusion when the tower was activated and they were alone in the woods without cover.
• In addition the fact that it needed to be firmly planted in the ground would explain the earthquake the group experienced before the lights appeared.
• I also found information regarding the use of directed-energy in order to modify the weather.  In addition to HAARP (see below), there is knowledge of a Russian company that has been using this technology since at least 1992.
• I think it's obvious that the Russian Science Center the hikers found has been in operation since much earlier than the nineties.  Based on their equipment, it seems like it was possibly the test center for the creation of such devises starting around World War II.   
• HAARP is a household name amongst conspiracy theorists and refers to the "High Frequency Active Auroral Research Project" in Alaska.  It also uses energy to create a beam that heats up a portion of the ionosphere and is able to direct this energy to a specific area of the globe.  So here we have again, very similar to the particle beam created by Tesla that is powered by his tower, a directed-energy device that heats up the ionosphere.  However here, unlike with the Teleforce, the main purpose is to cause atmospheric changes that effect the weather rather than obliterate a location. 
• This could explain how the contestants of Siberia went from sunny hot weather to freezing foggy snow.
• Another HAARP possibility is the fact that it is believed to be able to block signals such as satellite, TV and radio frequencies.  However, since we saw the radio tower destroyed I'm not sure if that is the current case on Siberia, but possibly why Sabina was unable to use the radio at the producers' camp as it was being blocked by the station.
• There are a plethora of similarities between HAARP and the Teleforce as they use the exact same methods.  This means the center found by the hikers could be capable of causing the lights in the sky from the heated ionosphere, the decimated area from a directed-energy beam, the change in weather, and the psychological effects experienced by Joyce and Johnny during this process.
• Another interesting fact I learned while researching, was that HAARP can create a protective dome over a specific area of Earth.  While I don't think this is what's going on in Siberia, Under the Dome lovers can take pleasure in the idea that Stephen King's science fiction is not fiction anymore! 

left: Tower found by the "hikers" in Siberia;  right: 1904 image of the Wardenclyffe Tower

In conclusion, the basic idea I was able to ascertain through the electrical engineering technical aspect, is that the tower was built to utilize Earth's natural energy field, more specifically the balance between the ground conduction and the ionosphere to charge particles.  This has the ability to send a directed-energy beam to other areas of the Earth with the power to decimate people or a habitat, alter the weather and deliver psychological effects to the people within the radius.  The ignition of such an energy beam could also cause the ground to shake and the sky to light up, all events we have seen over the last few episodes of Siberia.  However, while this Tesla Tower and its powers explain a lot of the ongoing mysteries, there are still some lingering questions I'd like to address:

1. What caused the original Tunguska event?
• As I explained earlier, it's unlikely that the Tesla Tower or the Russian Science Center was the cause of the original Tunguska event.  While that mystery remains to be solved, I don't think it's a pertinent question regarding the current events.  Whether a curse from Ogdy, a meteor or an alien spacecraft something happened in 1908, but I'm not so sure it's what's happening in Siberia now.  I do think that the original Tunguska event caused the beast and is related to the Evenkis current goals as I will go into below. 
2. What is affecting Miljan?
• In this episode my thoughts about Miljan being guided (see: Siberia Gets Cold!) were affirmed as he spoke of a male voice instructing him by implanting commands in his head.  I think this tells us that Ogdy is still in play and I'm sticking with my original hypothesis: Miljan has been inhabited by a previous shaman's spirit.  The progression of events showed Miljan discovering the Ogdy totem pole and instinctively knowing his name, followed by the quake and lights in the sky when Miljan's character changed and he returned to the Ogdy statue during the event and subsequently vanished from the camera.  While I'm not sure where he went, it was likely to the Evenki tribe and his character has bounced back and forth since between the fun jovial Montenegrin of which we were first introduced and the sinister sarcastic possession of later episodes.   
3. What is the purpose of the Russian Science Center?
• Overall it seems to me that the Russian scientists are attempting to recreate the 1908 Tunguska event as well as genetic manipulation of the beast.  The proof comes from both the materials in the lab as well as the fact that they were studying Kulik's expedition tape in which he researched the Tunguska event.  I believe they were using the Tesla Tower as an energy source for the directed-energy weapon which would explain the lights in the sky, the decimated forest area, Joyce and Johnny's confusion and the sudden shift in weather.  I also wonder if they purposely effected the weather to ensure the demise of the contestants as they began to seek out the beacon and came closer to discovering their experiments.
4. Who killed the scientists?
• I believe one possibility is that the Evenkis were angry with the scientists for attempting to recreate what they believed were the powers of their god, similar to worshiping false idols in Christianity, and felt the need to stop them.  This would explain the shots Sabina heard in the woods in the episode "She Said It".  The other possibility is that a greater power realized their experiment was about to be discovered and attempted to cover their tracks.  I am leaning more towards the former as we now know the Evenkis are armed and also the disconnect between the time in which Sabina heard the gunshots and when the beacon was destroyed.  This tells me that they were either two separate events or a time loop was in play.
5. Who attacked the producers' base camp? 
• While this question has bothered me for quite some time now, with the progression of events I feel confident that the beast was responsible.  Possibly incited by the fire in the sky, it attacked the camp that was within its territory and removed the bodies.  We have seen the beast remove the tiger and possibly Natalie, so it is plausible that it takes its kills back to a lair of some kind which would explain the lack of bodies.  I do not think the Evenkis are violent and I will go into the reasoning behind that idea more below.  
6. What knocked over the beacon and why?
• While the shots Sabina heard was during the episode "She Said It", the disappearance of the beacon didn't occur until "A Gathering Fog".  This leads me to the idea that they were two separate acts, likely committed by separate parties.  If the Evenkis were responsible for the death of the scientists, it's likely that whomever wishes to cover up their experimentation destroyed the radio tower as well as the other equipment in the lab.  A plausible scenario is that the scientists used the tower to manipulate the weather in hopes that it would kill off the remaining contestants, when they continued to persevere and became close to uncovering the outpost the persons behind the Science Center were forced to destroy the equipment and the radio tower in hopes the contestants would be unable to discover the nature of their testing and more importantly leak it to the world.  This might have all been precipitated by their experiment as they discovered the beast's attack on the producers' camp and the angry locals as products of their testing.  Why this worries me for future episodes is because it paints a clear picture of scientists who will go to any lengths to keep their testing a secret and may very well intercept any transmissions the group is able to get out and send in their own strike force to eliminate everyone with knowledge of their acts. 
7. What created the original beast?
• After seeing the Evenkis' beast-like snowshoes it brings up the question if there ever was a real beast to begin with.  Have the Evenkis perpetuated the tale to keep the land to themselves by scaring the neighboring tribes?  I personally still believe there is a real beast looming the woods who attacked Tommy and the producers' camp, mauled and transported the tiger and consumed Natalie's intestines.  I think this can be explained by my previous theories that the Evenkis are trying to capture this animal hybrid as we witnessed their elaborate trap as well as the cave paintings depicting them attacking the creature and simply took on boots similar to its foot structure after witnessing how much more efficient the beast was.  There is some doubt lingering as it is possible the cave paintings aren't as old as one would assume, therefor the beast could have been a repercussion of the original 1908 Tunguska event rather than thousands of years old.  At this point I'm not sure, it may be from a wormhole created by the event, radiation or an age-old creature that has inhabited the Siberian wilderness for hundreds of years.  The time loop idea is still a possibility and as many facts still don't add up it could be a prehistoric creature for all I know, but I feel pretty confident that it is related to the Tunguska event as the cave paintings depict a second sun, similar to the descriptions of the 1908 event, and it appears the beast appeared simultaneously.  
8. Are the Evenkis good or bad? & What is the significance of their snow shoes?
• While all this science washes away a lot of the Ogdy ideas, I believe some can be salvaged to fit Siberia's scenarios.  Like I previously stated, they believe a wicked shaman (see: Siberia Get Cold!) called upon Ogdy to destroy their enemies in 1908.  This still makes sense to me because the technology wasn't available or even in Russia in 1908 as well as the fact that the voices in Miljan's head also fit into this theory that Ogdy is real and that a shaman has inhabited his body an directs him as to what to do.
• I believe that the Evenkis are overall good-natured people.  They live in peace in this remote area and we have seen them attempt to warn the contestants to leave rather than attacking them (e.g. the spear saying "Get Out")  I don't believe they are responsible for the destruction of the base camp, Tommy's death or the disembowelment of Natalie and the tiger.  I think a likely scenario is that they believe a wicked shaman called upon Ogdy to destroy their enemies and caused the Tunguska event.  However, with this misuse of power came a curse, the beast, and they have attempted to thwart others away from the area and capture or kill it themselves hence the trap and the cave drawings.  It's very plausible that they fell as if the beast is their responsibility and a reminder that their power shouldn't be used for evil.
• Along with this idea comes the fact that according to Miljan they wished to help Irene and likely took Annie and Esther to protect them from the beast before they endured the same fate as the producers and Natalie.  I think that coming to scoop up the remaining settlers, Miljan, Neeko and Sabina, is an attempt to save them and aid in their escape from the territory as even if they are peaceful, they have no interest in outsiders on their land. 
• Finally I believe that they have created their unique footwear after years of observing the beast and noticing how its anatomy gives it the ability to traverse the Siberian land with much more ease.  It explains why the original prints left at Tommy's attack site and the ones we saw in "A Gathering Fog" differed so much.  The gait was clearly much smaller, while a beast with such size and strength would surly have a bigger stride.  In addition to the number of footprints it seems clear that it was the locals rather than the beast who abducted Annie, Esther and the cameraman.
9. How does the skeleton with Sabina's locket and Sam's bracelet work into all of this?
• This is where I'm stumped.  Before it seemed so clear and all the pieces could be put together to paint a picture of time disrupted.  However now with the idea that the Tesla Tower has caused many of the strange events, this one seems out of place.  The fact that the atomic clocks Daniel found in this episode weren't functioning supports the idea of a bubble universe that I have stated in previous posts.  In addition, the information I researched above supports the idea, like in Under the Dome, that the directed-energy weapon is capable of disconnecting an entire area from the outside world.  So it is still possible that this is another effect of the tower and there is a time disruption within the area.  There is really no explanation for there to be a skeleton with an exact replica of Sabina's necklace in the Siberian wilderness except that it is her own decomposed body.  I suppose the producers could've come up with this elaborate stunt knowing about her son and her necklace from her interviews to become a contestant on the show, but the likelihood of her being the one to find it in this vast expanse of land is implausible.  The time loop makes so much sense and I want so badly for it to be the case, but I cannot work it into the other events.  However, if the tower is not responsible for the weather changes the idea of a time disruption fits right in!
• As for Sam's bracelet, I think a simple plausible scenario is that one of the 1908 settlers fled and the Evenkis scooped "Anne" up to aid her.  It is possible that she mated within the tribe and the bracelet was passed down to her child.   It takes away the idea of fate, which I have a big problem with as this idea was discussed in detail in this episode as the hikers pondered about whether they were meant to be there.  As Sam said, if Esther hadn't moved the flag he would have been kicked out on the first episode.  It also goes against the idea that one of the contestants being named "Annie" is more than a coincidence and the fact that the hikers were guided as they came across far too many obstacles that they were either perfectly suited for, or simply by luck were able to overcome.  I still believe that they are meant to be there, whether by lineage or cosmic intervention and hope to see this idea come to fruition in the final episodes.
• Finally, I'd like to take a brief moment to mention that the tribe we saw were similar to Native Americans in appearance and exactly what I expected for the local tribes of Siberia.  However, the blonde girl Sabina saw seemed to be more Norwegian which takes me back to the idea that she is somehow special.  Her similar look to Berglind or even Natalie rather than to the other locals is strange to me.  Along these lines, I also find it odd that the beast doesn't devour its kills whole but rather only consumes their stomach.  I'm not sure why this is and it seems like a big leap without enough time to fully develop this line of intrigue left in the season, but is it possible that the beast is able to live for such long periods of time and seems to be unstoppable because it is consuming the reproductive organs?  Just an idea to consider as there must be some reason that it doesn't eat the entire bodies and the fact that it removes them as well.  This also goes along with the idea that there seemed to be a large amount of time that passed between when Natalie left and her body returned, showing signs of frostbite and not at all decomposed as if she had been kept alive for some time.
10. What's the significance of the falcon and the jets?
• While this was brought up in a comment, I wanted to address my thoughts on the falcon found in the research laboratory.  As we know Ogdy is not only the god of thunder but also the representation of the thunderbird. (See:Siberia Gets Cold for more information on Ogdy and the Evenkis' beliefs) I think the most logical explanation is that the scientists realized they needed the falcon DNA to replicate the beast that is a materialization of the god Ogdy thus the birdlike features.  It goes along with the theory that with the misuse of power by the shamans came a curse that is the beast. 
• While I'm not sure to make of the jets, possibly passing over as they saw the activation of the tower as some kind of attack against Russia and sent them to survey the damage.  A reader brought up the fact that the jets were "thunderbirds" and I can't help but wonder if this is a symbolic clue or actually related to the strange events.
11. How does fate play into this?
• I have talked about the idea of fate before (see: Siberia Gets Attacked) as it seems to good to be true that the hikers posses the exact skill set needed to overcome their obstacles as well as an extraordinary amount of luck.  Add that to the idea that Miljan seems to be guided and the voices in his head match up perfectly with my research on the Evenkis and the possibility that a shaman has possessed his body. (see:Siberia Gets Cold) In addition, the fact that both groups brought up this idea of fate, purpose or synchronicity in this episode makes me believe that it is a factor in the strange events we have witnessed.  In my early theories I discussed the idea of the group, or at least some of them, having a connection to the land that they aren't aware of and that this group of people are here for a reason.  Sam having Russian lineage, the bracelet with the name Anne coupled with a character named Annie, Sabina being an Israeli solider whose culture has a long history in Siberia and the fact that the shamans posses the bodies of decedents, connects at least these contestants to the area.  If it is all an experiment, maybe these people were picked for a reason. Possibly they are relatives of the initial settlers and to recreate the event the scientists selected subjects related to those who disappeared.  Either way, no matter why they are there I think it's important to notice these points as well as the fact they discuss fate and believe they are there for a reason.  I will leave the how and why up to your imagination!      

Overall it seems as if the tower, the beast, the Evenkis, and the scientists can answer almost all of our questions as to what's going on.  Basically the 1908 event created or brought the beast into the Siberian wilderness, the local Evenkis saw this as a repercussion for misusing their power and have been attempting to capture the beast or at least minimize its destruction by scaring off anyone who enters the area.  Russian scientists wanted to recreate the event and the beast through science and it didn't work, they were then killed off by either the Evenkis for trying to harness the power of their gods or an overseeing party to cover up what they'd done.  To further eradicate any evidence, they attempted to destroy their work and any communication out of the area in order to ensure the contestants wouldn't get out alive and leak their secrets to the world.  Hopefully we will see fate and time added to the mix in the final two episodes as it would be a powerful ending to this amazing journey I'm glad to have been a part of.  I think that basically sums everything up into a working theory that explains almost everything we've seen so far in Siberia!

I would love to hear your thoughts and I reply to all comments so please start a discussion!  I'd also like to point out that a few people asked me about the static images at the end of each episode and I created a post dedicated to those, with stills of each image and what they appear to be.  They give us an insight on the following week so be sure to check that out at Siberia Secret Images Revealed!  You can catch Siberia Mondays on NBC and as always check back here for my weekly recap and theories, but I have a feeling we will know exactly what's going on all too soon!  Keep up the momentum by tweeting #SiberiaSeason2 and you can find me on Twitter here!  As well as the petition for season 2 has been re-opened and you can sign it here! Thanks for reading and I look forward to your thoughts!


References:

Wardenclyffe Tower. (2013, August 28). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 4, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardenclyffe_Tower

Directed-energy weapon. (2013, September 2). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 4, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed-energy_weapon

Particle-beam weapon. (2013, July 23). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 4, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_beam_weapon

Rich, M. M. (2011, September 9). Weather Warfare. In Revolutionary Methods for Political Control. Retrieved September 4, 2013, from http://newworldwar.org/weatherwar.htm